Utah Lake
The bed of Utah Lake below the established boundary settlement lines is sovereign land and is managed by the Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands (FFSL). As the third-largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, Utah Lake has become a premier destination for boating, sailing, windsurfing, birding, fishing, and many other uses. As trustee, FFSL strives for an appropriate balance between compatible and competing uses specified in statute and policy, while ensuring that uses protected under the Public Trust Doctrine have primacy. FFSL understands the management of Utah Lake must include coordination in planning and actions with other regulatory agencies with jurisdictional responsibility for these resources.
Utah Lake is a focal point of natural resource systems that contribute to the environmental health, economic prosperity, and quality of life of area residents and visitors. Through the collaborative restoration, protection and sustainable use efforts, the lake and its multiple-use amenities are fully recognized and enjoyed by current and future generations. Utah Lake is managed by FFSL under the Utah Lake Master Plan (Comprehensive Management Plan).
Utah Lake Comprehensive Management Plan
We’re updating the Utah Lake Comprehensive Management Plan learn more about the Utah Lake management plan updates!
In 2009, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) adopted the Utah Lake Master Plan as their comprehensive management plan for Utah Lake; this 2009 plan was developed by the Utah Lake Commission (now the Utah Lake Authority) in partnership with many of the local, state, and federal government agencies that have regulatory responsibility for managing Utah Lake. This plan is unique in that it guides FFSL in its responsibility to manage sovereign land resources. FFSL has direct jurisdictional management responsibilities over all lands below the lake’s boundary settlement line. It is imperative that this plan is done in coordination with other agencies with jurisdictional responsibilities for these resources. This plan will ensure that the ecological health, scenic attributes, industries, and recreation opportunities at Utah Lake will be maintained now and into the future and provide lasting benefits to the public trust. Conditions on Utah Lake and throughout its watershed have changed considerably since 2009, as have available data, science, and governance structure. As such, it is now time for FFSL to develop its own Comprehensive Management Plan for Utah Lake.
Utah Lake Invasive Plants
The division is working to restore the wetlands of Utah Lake by removing invasive plants and trees that directly impact the ecosystem. To learn more about the work that FFSl is doing on Utah Lake, click the links below to learn more.